Coin-controlled apparatus.



[50095 Patented Sept. I9, I899. com CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

(Application filed Nov. 28, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK R. GOODE, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WVAYNE WILSON AND \VILLIAM RAVVLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 633,240, dated September 19, 1899. Application filed November 23, 1898. Serial No.69'7,578. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Beit known that I, FRANK R. Goons, a citizen of the United States, residing at Decatur,

in the county of Macon and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains'to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a coin-controlled apparatus, and is especially adapted and intended for retaining an article, such as a fan, in place and permitting the same to be released only upon depositing a coin of a predetermined value into the apparatus.

The objects of the invention are, primarily, to furnish a simple device intended to'be used in theaters or like places to hold and prevent the removal therefrom a fan or similar article, to construct such device in the simplest possible manner and with the fewest possible parts, to so simplify the construction that the apparatus can be used by a person having no particular familiarity with such apparatus, to so make an apparatus that it will be sure and perfect in operation, and to generally improve and simplify the construction of such apparatus.

In order to make the invention understood, I

I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect; but I desire it to be understood that Ido not limit the invention in its useful applications to the particular construction which for the "sake of illustration I have therein delineate In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an apparatus embodying my I inventiomshowing a fan held inplace therein and also showing a coin in place in the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a similarview showing the plunger lowered and the fan just released from its holder. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on line 4 4, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, A represents a box or receptacle in which the several parts bars or pins F.

coin'deposited in the apparatus. B indicates a door for said receptacle,and is shown herein as forming a part of the bottom thereof. This door may be placed atany desired or convenient part of the receptacle, and suitable means is provided for locking the same, such as a lock represented at Z), which can be operated only by a key in. the hands of an authorized person. The box or receptacle is shown as being provided with lugs a a, by means of which it can be secured in place. Any suitable means, however, may be employed for this purpose. In a suitable part of the casing or the receptacle, conveniently the top, as shown, is a slot 0, in which the coin is deposited. Below this slot,to one side, is a rigid depending bar D, having at the lower end thereof an inclined or bent portion (1, and depending from the opposite side of the slot is a spring-bar D, preferably having also substantially opposite the inclined portion (I an inclined portion d. The coin deposited through the slot 0 is guidedby these bars D and D and is held from dropping below the same by the inclined portions (1 and d. To prevent the coin dropping laterally or sidewise from between these bars, I place the same beside a substantially vertical surface E,whichin the present-instance is shown as being the inside face of one of the vertical sides of the receptacle, and opposite this surface, on the other side of the depending bars D D, are shown two substantially vertical pins F. Sliding in a perforation or bearing G on the casing, and preferably on the bottom thereof, is a pull-rod or plunger I-I, having atits upper end a laterally-extending portion I, having a sliding engagement with the H is a spring sleeved on the plunger-rod H between a shoulder h thereon and a stationary portionof the apparatus, which spring tends to hold the bar normally in its raised or uppermost position.

The pins F, of which two are shown, but of which it is apparent one or more may beemploycd, are provided with offset portions f near their upper ends which cause the plunger-rod, which is guided at its upper end by said bars F, to assume a position at the upper limit of this movement to one side of the coinslot C, so that the laterally-extending portion I of the plunger-rod will be carried to one side of the slot and out of the path of the coin dropped therein.

It is evident that the plunger-rod IL instead of projecting below the receptacle and being operated by a downward pull can be reversed and project upwardly from the casing and be operated by a downward push.

K represents the holder for the fan or like article, and is here shown as being provided at its lower end with a hook 7c, adapted to engage in a loop or recess 7; on the handle of the fan, (represented at L.) As shown in the drawings, the holder K is an extension of the bar D.

M indicatesaslot or hole in the casingof the receptacle opposite the hook it, and through which hole the fan is adapted to be inserted and engage with the hook is by forcing the end thereof against the inclined surface thereby forcing the hook outwardly until the end thereof is passed, when the spring D will cause the return of the hook and its engagement with the loop of the fan.

From the above description it will be readily seen that if a coin or similar device he dropped through the coin-slot C it will be caught between the bars D D and will be prevented from displacement therefrom by the pins F on one side thereof and the surface E. The laterally extending portion of the plunger-rod H will not interfere with the passage of the coin, as it is held by the offset portions fto one side of the slot. After the coin has been placed as described the plunger-rod H is forced downward against the tension of the spring, whereupon the offset portions f will cause the portion h of the rod to move inward over the top edge of the coin. Further movement of the plunger-rod will cause the coin to move downwardly, and on account of engaging with the inclined or inbent portion (1 of the rod D will force the latter to one side, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby moving the hook 7t out of the loop or recess in the fan-handle, whereupon the fan will by gravity drop through the slot M.

From the above description it will be appreciated that the apparatus is made from the fewest possible number of parts and is very simple, easy, and sure in operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an apparatus for the purpose described, the combination with a casing having a coin-slot therein, of a rigid depending bar at one side of the slot, a spring-bar at the other side of said slot, one of said bars being provided with an inclined portion, means for preventing displacement of the coin from said bars, a plunger adapted to engage the coin and move the latter against said inclined surface whereby one of said bars is caused to spring laterally, and a holder in the casing fora fan or like article, operated by the movement of said spring-bar, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for the purpose described, the combination with a casing having a coin-slot therein, of a rigid depending bar at one side of said slot, a spring-bar at the other side of said slot, one of said bars being provided with an inclined portion, means for preventing displacement of the coin from said bars, a plunger adapted to engage the coin and move the latter against said inclined surface whereby one of said bars is caused to spring laterally, and a continuation of said spring-bar provided with a hook located in the casing for the fan or like article operated by the movement of said spring-bar, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for the purpose described, the combination with a casing or receptacle having a coin-slot therein, of a rigid bar to one side of and below said slot, a springbar below and to the other side of said slot, one of said bars having an inclined portion, a plunger, means for guiding said plunger into engagement with the coin and a holder in the casing for a fan or the like, adapted to be operated by the movement of said bar, sub stantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for the purpose described, the combination with a casing or receptacle having a coin-slot therein, of a rigid bar below and to one side of said slot, a springbar below and to the other side of said slot,

one of said bars having an inclined portion,

a plunger-rod having a laterally-extending portion for engaging'a coin, guiding means for said plunger-rod having an offset portion at or near its upper end, and a holder in the casing for a fan or the like, adapted to be operated by the movement of said spring-bar, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a receptacle or casing having a coin-slot and a slot in the bottom thereof through which a fan-handle or the like is adapted to be inserted, of a rigid bar below and to one side of said coin-slot, a spring-bar below and to the other side of said coin-slot, one of said bars having an inclined portion, an extension of said spring-bar terminating in a hooked portion within the casing opposite said slot in the bottom of the casing, a plunger-rod, and means for guiding the same into engagement with the coin held between said rigid and spring bars, substantially as described.

(3. The combination with a receptacle or casing having in the top thereof near one side, a coin-slot and having in the bottom thereof a slot through which the handle of a fan or the like is adapted to be inserted, of a rigid bar depending from the top of the casing at one side of the coin-slot, and against the side of the casing, a spring-bar depending from the top of the casin g and resting against the side thereof at the opposite side of the coinslot, a plunger-rod working in a bearing in the bottom of the casing, a spring adapted to hold the same normally in a raised position, a pin depending from the top of the casing opposite the side thereof, with which pins said plunger-rod has a sliding engagement at its upper end, and a hook extension of said spring-bar, substantially as described.

7. In an apparatus of the kind described, the combination with means for guiding the coin, of a plunger for engaging and moving 

